Voice assistants have been part of the tech landscape since Siri’s iOS debut in 2011, but generative AI is reshaping expectations. While Amazon's Alexa, Apple's Siri, and Google Assistant dominated the 2010s, AI-native voice interfaces like ChatGPT's Voice Mode now set the standard for conversational fluency. As of February 2026, OpenAI’s continued improvements to ChatGPT Voice signal that traditional voice assistants face an existential challenge: adapt to generative AI or become legacy products.

What is a voice assistant?

A voice assistant is software that uses speech recognition and natural language processing (NLP) to interpret voice commands and respond in conversational speech. The technology runs on smartphones, smart speakers, cars, wearables, and smart home devices. Amazon Alexa, Apple Siri, Google Assistant, and Microsoft Cortana represent the traditional category.

ChatGPT's Voice Mode and other generative AI interfaces depend on large language models (LLMs) with deep learning more advanced than traditional NLPs. This enables open-ended conversation, nuanced answers, and multi-turn dialogue that earlier voice assistants cannot match. The distinction matters: newer AI voice interfaces hold better conversations.

How is generative AI disrupting traditional voice assistants?

Generative AI has exposed the limitations of earlier voice assistants. ChatGPT reached 900 million weekly active users in February 2026, more than doubling from 400 million the previous February. Its Advanced Voice Mode, launched in July 2024, delivers conversational fluency that traditional assistants lack.

The competitive response reveals incumbent weakness:

• Apple will pay Google $1 billion annually for a custom Gemini model to power next-generation Siri, debuting spring 2026 with iOS 26.4.
• Amazon's Alexa+ relies on Anthropic's Claude for generative capabilities, after years of delays since its 2023 announcement.
• Google is retrofitting Gemini into Google Assistant rather than building AI-native from the ground up.

This suggests traditional voice assistants cannot compete without licensing the same foundational LLM interfaces that power their disruptors.

What is OpenAI doing with audio and voice AI?

OpenAI is making voice its next strategic frontier. The company announced in January 2026 that it has unified engineering, product, and research teams to build new audio models and personal devices.

Key developments include:

• New audio model (Q1 2026): More natural speech, real-time interruption handling, and the ability to speak while the user is talking.
• Jony Ive partnership: OpenAI acquired Ive's design firm io for $6.5 billion in May 2025, signaling serious hardware ambitions.
• Audio-first devices: The Information and other sources report OpenAI is developing a "family of AI-powered devices" including smart glasses and screenless speakers, scheduled to release beginning in 2027.

How are Amazon, Apple, and Google responding to AI voice competition?

The three incumbents are scrambling to integrate generative AI into their existing voice ecosystems, with mixed results.

• Amazon Alexa+ launched in early access in February 2025 at $19.99/month (free with Prime). Powered by Anthropic, it can analyze images, create smart home routines, and execute complex tasks. However, repeated delays since 2023 and device compatibility limitations have slowed momentum.
• Apple is licensing Google's Gemini for $1 billion annually to power an upgraded Siri in spring 2026. EMARKETER forecasts Siri will surpass Google Assistant in US users by 2026, but Apple's reliance on a competitor's AI raises strategic questions.
• Google is integrating its Gemini model into Google Assistant and testing "Audio Overviews" that convert search results into conversational summaries. It maintains the largest US user base among traditional voice assistants.

The pattern is clear: incumbents are licensing or integrating the same AI technologies that power their competitors.

What devices support voice AI in 2026?

Voice AI extends far beyond smart speakers. Over one-third of US households have smart speakers, but smartphones remain the primary access point. 89.2% of voice assistant users access the technology via smartphone, reaching 94.5% among Gen Z.

The device ecosystem includes:

• Smart speakers: Amazon Echo, Google Nest, Apple HomePod.
• Smartphones: ChatGPT mobile app has exceeded 500 million downloads.
• Smart glasses: Meta Ray-Ban glasses feature open-ear Bluetooth speakers.
• Connected cars: Volkswagen and Stellantis integrate ChatGPT; Tesla is integrating xAI's Grok in some vehicle entertainment systems and evaluating AI-powered collaborations.
• Emerging hardware: OpenAI's planned audio-first devices, including speakers and eyewear.

What role does voice play in commerce today?

Voice commerce remains a niche channel despite years of predictions. Twenty-three percent of global consumers use voice assistants for regular purchases, per VML's Future Shopper report. An additional 19% have made at least one voice-assisted purchase.

The primary use remains information retrieval, not transactions. Consumers ask voice assistants for product information, price comparisons, and store hours more often than they complete purchases. Barriers include limited product discovery (voice cannot show options visually), trust concerns with payment, and friction in confirming orders.

Gen Z shows stronger engagement: 51% of Gen Zers and 70% of millennials interact with AI-powered assistants daily, per ThinkNow Research. Gen Z voice assistant use is growing 9.1% year over year, the fastest of any generation.

What are the marketing opportunities in voice AI?

Voice AI creates new surfaces for brand visibility, but the rules differ from traditional digital marketing.

• Conversational search optimization: As voice interfaces become primary information sources, brands must optimize for natural language queries, not just keywords. Being the first answer matters more than ranking on a results page.
• In-car advertising and commerce: 76% of US drivers would use voice assistants with generative AI in vehicles, per SoundHound AI research. Automotive contexts offer captive audiences for audio-based brand engagement.
• Voice-first commerce: Amazon's Alexa+ can execute purchases, book tickets, and order groceries. Brands with voice-optimized product listings and Alexa skills gain distribution in these moments.

How should marketers evaluate voice AI investments in 2026?

Voice AI investment decisions should start with audience behavior, not technology adoption.

1. Assess your audience's voice usage. Gen Z and millennials show the highest daily engagement with AI assistants. If your customer base skews younger, voice optimization is more urgent. If it skews older, voice remains supplementary.
2. Prioritize conversational search visibility. Ensure your brand appears in AI-generated answers. This means structured data, clear entity relationships, and content that directly answers common questions about your products and category.
3. Test voice commerce cautiously. Voice purchasing remains limited to low-consideration, repeat purchases. Start with reordering and subscription models rather than complex product discovery.
4. Monitor platform fragmentation. The voice ecosystem is splintering. ChatGPT, Alexa+, Siri, and Google each use different AI models and have different commerce capabilities. Cross-platform voice strategies require more resources than single-platform bets.
5. Prepare for audio-first interfaces. OpenAI's device ambitions suggest a future where some consumers interact with AI without screens. Brands that develop audio identities and voice-first experiences now will be better positioned.

We prepared this article with the assistance of generative AI tools and stand behind its accuracy, quality, and originality.

EMARKETER forecast data was current at publication and may have changed. EMARKETER clients have access to up-to-date forecast data. To explore EMARKETER solutions, click here.